She has discussed trying to privatize the county liquor distribution system and retail stores. The current system in Wicomico County benefits everyone in the county, thru profit of nearly a million dollars being put back in the county general fund with no cost to the county, also by being a large volume purchaser which allows for lower cost to small volume licensees. It also allows for lower cost items in the stores due to volume case purchases. So much of the inventory provided by the county is at or below what the licensees would pay for it if they bought It directly from the distributor because of the volume It is purchased at. It also provides for a greater allocation of the hard to get and sought after bottles as they are allocated to retailers with higher volumes of purchases in greater quantities. If the system is privatized these above benefits would all go away. The retail side of the county would be divided up and only benefit a couple of businessmen. Jobs would be lost at the retail stores as the warehouse positions would not be needed anymore as well as many retail positions. The county would lose a million dollars of free revenue. The retail prices of the stores would go up due to decreased purchasing power. The prices of sought after and allocated bottles would go up as evidenced by all the stores in the surrounding area. Allocated bottles at retail under 100 in Wicomico would go up by 3 to 13 times the retail price due to retail greed. PRIVATISING WICOMICO LIQUOR HAS NO UPSIDE FOR THE COUNTY RESIDENTS. THE ONLY UPSIDE IS TO THE VERY FEW BUSINESSMEN WHO FUNDED POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS IN AN EFFORT TO GAIN THE LIQUOR BUSINESS.
Automobile dealerships should be banned in Wicomico County and vehicle sales should only occur through County government. Think of all the profits that could be returned to the citizens if the County were the only entity allowed to sell automobiles! The scale of volume of purchases by the County would save consumers millions of dollars.
While we are at it, why do we allow grocery stores and supermarkets to sell food? If food sales were to be allowed only through County “food dispensaries” just think of all the money that would be added to the County coffers! And we all know how efficient government is with spending money, right?
lets privatize the police force as well…..I mean, market forces and all….
You are so right in that example you provided, I totally agree, in a free market system any and all businessmen are allowed to price their product at any level they wish, to the limit of the market bearing it. But why wouldn’t I want to keep a situation where a $74 bottle of bourbon is sold for $74 and not marked up to $1,100 like almost all the retailers do in our region. And for the example I used Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year which has a retail price of $74. Stores in Worcester County, post privatization of the liquor sales, price that bottle for 1100.00 to 1200.00.
Hoping to keep the prices at MSRP, which allows many more people the opportunity to purchase a very good bottle just seems to be the more fair option to me. It seems to me during emergencies, which this is not, of course, gas stations are prosecuted for raising prices to the extreme.
Going back to your example of car dealerships I’m sure the early Corvette and Bronco owners just loved the extra 20 to $30,000 dealer markup on those new vehicles when they bought them.
I guess it just seems out of whack to cede this to a few businessmen to make a gigantic profit off the backs of the consumers when this situation seems to benefit all involved except for those few businessmen. Maybe is just me…
Another important point to add relates to the sales and special alcohol taxes.
Many folks in Wicomico county can (and do) go a couple of miles north over the Delaware border and save the 9% – in addition to the lower prices. How much business and revenue is being lost to this simple rule?!
Yes it may be a monopoly – but as the original post states it is beneficial…and actually works!
I dont buy in Wicomico Co.
Just to be clear, Julie has very few ideas of her own…several woke downtown business folks are already angling policy ideas to her in exchange for support/more money…..this is but one example. What till you hear about her plans to massively expand the county executive office workforce with at least 3 friends of hers from Bennett HS…all with no experience…
J.G needs to look at what is going on in county departments. This includes utter time wasted by tons of employees and supervisors and department heads not giving $hit as long as they collect there large salary. Working employees are leaving and going to other state and county jobs because they cannot stand to watch the circus anymore.
Will private sellers give a 10% discount to veterans and active duty like the dispensary does? Probably not.
We all know the Maryland counties almost where ever you are, are very poorly run, with a corrupt good ole boy, and girl system. Just look at the worthless governor we had. This was just a stepping stone for Hogan. He couldn’t care less about the state he governed.
If this author is true, then why is liquor cheaper in Delaware where stores are privately owned? Seems like a lot of BS is being spread here.
Challenge accepted. Please price Blantons in as many Delaware stores as you can or want. Let me know how many are at 65-69 dollars. I know of only 2 locations that price even close to that in lower De. All others are near 200. Prove me wrong.
I DRIVE FROM WORCESTER COUNTY TO SALISBURY AND SHOP IN THE BEER WINE AND SPIRIT STORE PARTICURLY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY TREAT THE CUSTOMERS AND THE PRICES ARE VERY REASONABLE . WHAT IS REALLY A PLEASURE TO SEE IS HOW THEY TREAT THE VETERANS. AA PLUS.